Professional Development Resources

Berea College Community Strengthening Initiative (BCCSI)

The Berea College Community Strengthening Initiative (BCCSI) is a program meant to encourage Berea College staff to attend at least one on-campus event per month, if possible. For more information, please visit this webpage.

FERPA Training PowerPoint

Want to learn more about FERPA here at Berea College? If so, please login to review a PowerPoint created by the Office of the Registrar for all Berea College employees. Also be sure to check-out the FERPA webpage on the Office of the Registrar’s website: https://www.berea.edu/registrar/ferpa/.

**NEW** FERPA Quick Guide

Want a brief rundown of FERPA at Berea without looking through the entire PowerPoint, above? If so, click here and login to view the new FERPA Quick Guide document from the Office of the Registrar.

Professional Development Request Form

Do you want to request professional development funds from your Vice President for a conference, training, certification, etc.? If so, simply fill out the form at this link:

https://berea.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_byhY7UzY7DXsZ7L

The College’s Administrative Leadership Council (made up of the Administrative Committee, Associate Vice Presidents, and Directors) and Staff Forum leadership indicate that the top five requests for professional development from staff members are:

  1. Funds to attend or present at conferences and workshops;
  2. Increased frequency and levels of technology training;
  3. Certification training;
  4. Job-specific skills training; and
  5. Leadership skills development, including tools for running an effective meeting.

Priority allocation for staff development funds is given to 1) strategic professional development of staff to ensure that employees with promotional potential receive training to prepare them for the next step in their career progression at the College; 2) staff with credentials that require continuing education; and 3) staff presenting at a conference; and 4.) Technical skills training for new job related technology.

Instructions for Professional Development Proposals

Proposals should describe the activity, provide a budget, and indicate the amount of funding requested. Obtaining the support of your immediate supervisor is a required part of the application process. Awards are made on a first-come, first-served, basis and are subject to the availability of funds.

Travel Policy

Please note that all who receive funds involving travel must adhere to the Berea College Travel Policy. The updated travel policy can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/y5dsu5yj.

Report on Completion

Staff who receive Staff Development Funding are to submit a report via email within 30 days of the completion of the project via email to a designated staff member within the Division (Staff members in the academic division are not required to complete a report after their project has been completed). Those staff members are as follows:

  • Alumni & College Relations: JoJo Wray
  • Financial Affairs: Scotty Abney
  • Information Systems & Services: Yvonne Williams
  • Student Life: Carla Roberts
  • Operations & Sustainability: Malissa Blair
  • President’s Office:  Sherry Thiele
  • Strategic Initiatives: Erica Woods
  • Labor: Brittany Ash

Please note that your direct supervisor’s electronic signature is required on this form.

If you experience any technical difficulty with this form, please contact Sam Cole via email at colesa@berea.edu or via phone by calling ext. 3210.

If you are not sure about which Division you are in as a staff member, please consult this handy guide.

Professional Development Initiative Documentation

Vision Paper (PDF) (includes definition of professional development)

Staff Forum Presentation to A.C. in December 2015 (PDF)

Staff Professional Development and Climate Survey Instrument (PDF) (administered in 2015)

On and Off-Campus Professional Development Opportunities

Mental Health and Boundaries When Helping Students in Distress – Amanda Wyrick, Sue Reimondo & Loretta Reynolds

Monday, January 27th from 2:30 – 4:30pm

This workshop is designed to help faculty and staff members recognize signs that may indicate a student is in distress. We will also discuss personal and professional boundaries when working with a student who is a concern. How do I recognize if a student is struggling? How might mental health concerns show up in a labor position, in the residence hall, in the classroom? How do I approach a student if I am concerned? When does “helping” hinder? What if I am the only person the student trusts? How do I get a student to the right resources when he or she is reluctant or refuses to seek help? What do I do when a student continues making poor choices after agreeing that there is a need for change? How do I detach from the situation when a student continues to make choices that negatively impact their mental health,  performance and personal well-being? This is part of a campus series of events related to mental health and well-being. We will convene  in classroom L103 in the basement of the library on January 27th from 2:30-4:30pm. In order to provide time for discussion, space is limited to 25. To sign up, please email reynoldslo@berea.edu before January 24th.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The EAP benefit provides up to 6 free counseling sessions for eligible employees and their dependents. These sessions are with certified counselors from The Lexington Group and are completely confidential (they do not inform Berea College of who is using this benefit). Traditionally, employees could get counseling face-to-face or by phone. However, the Lexington Group now offers the option for online counseling (video and messaging). For more information about video counseling and the EAP benefit, please see the documents linked below (you will be asked to provide your Berea College credentials to access them).

EAP Brochure

Video Counseling Letter

Monthly Student Life Social Hours

Each month from August – November and January – April, Student Life hosts what we call social hours. These events bring faculty, staff, and students together for conversation, lunch, and social time that builds relationships and fosters a sense of community among our Berea Beloved. The social hours began in the spring 2018 term and have continued as the campus community enjoys the engagement and interaction that these events bring forth for the college. For the 2019-2020 Academic year, our social hours will be themed with a specific department, club/org, or initiative on campus using part of the hour to share their services with our attendees. We will still aim to use half of our time together for simple conversation and engagement with one another. We look forward to another great year of social hours where we can strengthen our Berea College community! #OneBlood

Here are dates for the Spring 2020 term. All of these take place from 11:45-1 PM in Baird Lounge in the Alumni Building.

Friday 1/24/2020

Our January Student Life Social Hour will be featuring the Student Government Association (SGA)! This Social Hour is on Friday, January 24, 2020 , from 11:45 A.M. to 1 P.M. It will be held in Baird Lounge and lunch will be provided. We will be having Fazoli’s and we will provide a non-meat option as well as salads and breadsticks. Please join us for a meal and to learn more about the Student Government Association (SGA) and what they offer to our college community.

Please RSVP via the link no later than Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 5 p.m.: https://berea.campuslabs.com/engage/event/4444658

Friday 2/21/2020

Friday 3/20/2020

Friday 4/17/2020

For more information, please contact Stephen H. Howard (stephen_howard@berea.edu), Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Engagement, Department of Student Life.

TIAA Monthly Webinars

TIAA has monthly webinars covering a variety of topics related to preparing for retirement and they are completely free to Berea College employees. If  interested, please sign up by going to TIAA.org/webinars.

WW at Work

A new 17- week series  of WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) will meet on campus starting in the Spring 202 term at a TBD date and time.  The WW Freestyle program is 17 weeks in length and includes: Weekly workshops, the WW app, and the Wellness Wins rewards system.  WW Freestyle is a flexible program that encourages you to eat more fruits, veggies, lean protein, and less sugar and unhealthy fats. This program helped your friends and coworkers collectively shed 713.2 lbs. in 2018.

You can learn about the program here: https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/our-approach

The fee is $50 for employees. $50 for spouses/partners on a college medical plan. Free for students. The $50 fee is due at the first meeting and can be paid in full via check, cash or credit card or with two checks for $25 to be deposited one month apart.

If you are interested in WW but cannot regularly attend the Thursday meeting on campus, you can join our meeting for the discount (17 week series are normally $221), and attend a meeting in Richmond at 12:15 or 6:00 p.m., or in your community if you do not live in the Berea area. To receive the College’s subsidized rate you must attend a Thursday meeting on campus to enroll. After you are enrolled you can attend another meeting.

Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K is a 9 week walking/jogging program that will take you from sitting on the couch to running a 5K (and loving it). Program dates for the Spring 2020 term are TBD. All participants are encouraged to show off their running prowess at a race at the end of the term. Registration will be paid for those who attend 80% of the workouts.

Program meets three times a week for 30-40 minutes each session (most workouts are 30 minutes in length including warm-up and cool down, then we stretch as a group afterwards). Most of the time we will alternate between walking and jogging. As the program progresses the jog/run time increases while the walk interval decreases until you are running for 30 continuous minutes. The first workout is warm up (walk) for 5 minutes, then alternate 60 seconds of jogging with 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes, and then a 5 minute cool down walk. It is OK to attend different sessions during the week based on your schedule. It is also OK to sign up if you only want to walk. Couch to 5K is a great way to schedule regular exercise into your day and meet students/coworkers you may not normally see on a regular basis.

All sessions will run on the Seabury outdoor track weather permitting.

Use this link below to sign up: https://berea.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4MCP1DfUSlvfv01

Chair massages

Keep that vacation feeling alive a little longer by treating yourself to a chair massage. Carrie Mahoney,  LMT from Body Logic and Yoga will be on campus Tuesday, January 14 from 11:00-1:00 in Hafer-Gibson 131. $1.00 per minute payable at time of massage. There is a 5 minute minimum and a 15 minute maximum. Appointments are required. You can schedule an appointment by emailing Wellness@berea.edu  please include the time(s) you are available and the time duration of massage you would like.

Carrie is here on the second Tuesday of most months.

Smoking Cessation

Sometimes you start to believe you just might be better off as a non-smoker. If you fit into that category, send Jill Gurtatowski an email (gurtatowskij@berea.edu) to discuss if this is the right program for you.

Go365

Go365,the employee wellness and rewards platform is all about you. You’ll receive Activities personalized to help you reach your health goals, no matter where you are on your journey to better health. Just unlock your Activities and earn Points redeemable for prizes in the shopping mall.

Coffee and Cream Chats

The Workforce Development Training Team at the Labor Program will once again be hosting informal meetings (with light refreshments!) for labor supervisors to meet and share ideas. Spring 2020 term coffee and cream chats will be held from 9:15-10 AM in Hafer-Gibson room 104 on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, January 15th, 2020
  • Thursday, February 13th, 2020
  • Tuesday, March 10th, 2020
  • Thursday, April 16th, 2020

For more information, please email Brittany Ash (brittany_ash@berea.edu).

Something to Chew On

Something to Chew On is a monthly event hosted by the Labor Office where a different department from campus has the opportunity to promote their program and give information to the staff and faculty about how their work affects the campus community.

For more information, please email Brittany Ash (brittany_ash@berea.edu).

Green Dot Training

Green Dot is a Bystander Intervention Program designed to help reduce power-based violence, including: sexual violence, domestic abuse, child abuse, stalking, and bullying in our community. Find out more about Green Dot.

Employee Green Dot Trainings for the Spring 2020 term include:

  • Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 10:00 AM-12:00, in the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center

Student Green Dot Trainings for the Spring 2020 term include:

  • Thursday, January 16, 2020, 6:00-8:30, Activities Room
  • Saturday, February 22, 2020 10:00-12:30, Stephenson 226
  • Tuesday, March 24, 2019 3:00-5:30, Activities Room

For questions or concerns, visit the Title IX webpage, email Joslyn Glover, or call 859-985-3606.

Safe Zone Training

Berea College is one of hundreds of colleges and universities that provide training to promote inclusive spaces for LGBTQ students. More specifically, this Safe Zone Training Program provides participants with an opportunity to gain knowledge and awareness about gender and sexual identity development. Participants will be engaged in experiential activities that promote a space for dialogue and questions related to gender and sexual identity. Upon completion of the training, participants will leave with educational materials and an optional window cling or sticker to place in your office/workspace. Should you choose to take the Safe Zone sticker you will be communicating that your office is a safe, friendly, respectful, and non-judgmental space for our LGBTQ students. Each training is limited to 25 people per session.

Date: Wednesday February 19th

Time: 2:30-4:30

Location: Appalachian Center

Please use the Doodle Poll to sign up for the training and include your first and last name: https://doodle.com/poll/vff5f3ap2h32ds3r. Please note you need to be available for the entire two hours.

For more information about this training opportunity, please contact Dr. Amanda Wyrick, Berea’s Safe Zone trainer at Amanda_wyrick@berea.edu.

Title IX Training

Covers Berea College’s policies and procedures on Sexual Misconduct, how to identify and prevent sexual violence, How to report and incident, and the impact of trauma on victims. All new employees are required to attend one of these sessions. For more information about upcoming sessions, please contact Joslyn Glover via email or phone. These trainings typically cover important information about Berea College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures and Nondiscrimination Policy, how to prevent and identify sexual violence, appropriate methods for responding to reports of sexual misconduct, and how and to whom such misconduct must be reported. Employee trainings for the Spring 2020 term are TBD.

Other Title IX Events for the Spring 2020 Term

  • TBD

The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

Participation in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). To take the IDI as an individual, area, or office, please contact Dr. Linda Strong-Leek (linda_leek@berea.edu), or Dr. Scott Steele (scott_steele@berea.edu).

LinkedIn Learning

Labor Program How-To Training Videos

Information about the Staff Development Fund

Information about Tuition Reimbursement

Berea College Staff Development Workshops
BC Staff Dev Logo

BC Staff Development (BCSD) Schedule for Fall 2019

— Berea College Staff Development with Mark Nigro, Learning & Training Coordinator —

BCSD events for Spring 2020 TBD.

For more information and to REGISTER, please use the following registration link: http://bcstaffdevelopment.eventbrite.com/

  1. Click a specific workshop title to learn more details about the workshop. (Be sure to look at the ‘Live Events’ tab for the current workshops)
  2. To register: after opening a specific workshop, click “Register” and follow the prompts to reserve your seat.

Please make sure your schedule is open before you commit to registering. If you supervise staff employees, please discuss these professional development opportunities with your staff. Participants will explore topics through a combination of reflection, discussion, and group activities.

  • Note for NEW staff members —  the required Being and Becoming program provides essential exploration about our unique College workplace, and is offered on a periodic basis.

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Nigro at extension 3436.

The Civil Rights Seminar & Tour

Loyal Jones Appalachian Center Events

The Appalachian Seminar & Tour

Participation in Dean’s Reading Groups

With support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce the continuation of Dean’s Reading Groups for the 2019-2020 academic year. Both staff and faculty are invited to participate.

Book and Weblink to more InfoDates/Times/LocationDiscussion Leaders
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping us Hooked by Adam Alter Wednesday, Sept. 11 & 18, 2019; 4:30 -6:00 PM; location TBA Amanda Wyrick and Andrea Woodward
Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, & The Limits of the Law by Dean SpadeThursday, Oct. 3 & 2, 2019; 4:00-5:00 PM; Woods Penn 207Kye Anderson and Meredith Lee
White Fragility by Robin DiAngeloMonday, Nov. 4 and 11, 2019; 5:15-6:15 PM; Woodson Center's Hathaway LibraryLinda Strong-Leek and Chad Berry
The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt and Greg LukianoffMonday, January 13 and 27, 2020; 5:00-6:30 PM; Appalachian Center's Faber LibraryRob Smith and Joslyn Glover
Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Umoja NobleFriday, February 7, 14, 21, 28, 2020; 4:00-5:00 PM; Appalachian Center's Faber LibraryJan Pearce and Chris Miller
Air and Light and Time and Space: How Successful Academics Write by Helen SwordMarch- Day/Time/ Location TBAAmy Nichols

For more information  or to join one of these groups, please email Sarah Broomfield at broomfields@berea.edu or call her at 859-985-3487. If you have suggestions for future groups, please contact Dean Matthew Saderholm at saderholmm@berea.edu.

Participation in Community Reading Groups

For more information on Community Reads, please contact Sarah Broomfield via email or by calling 859-985-3487.

Lunch & Learn Workshops (Contact Jill Gurtatowski for more information).

Other On-Campus Events/Groups:

Run/Walk with the Presidential Trio

Graduation & Commencement (tickets required)

Berea College Convocations

General Faculty Assembly Meetings

Berea Music Department Events

The Peanut Butter & Gender Luncheon Series

All events will take place between 11:45am and 1pm in Draper 106. Lunch will be served.

Fall 2019 Peanut Butter & Gender Speakers

Spring 2020 Peanut Butter & Gender Speakers

Center for International Education Events

The Celebration of Traditional Music

Carter G. Woodson Center for Interracial Education Programs and Events

Programming at the Willis D. Weatherford Campus Christian Center

Events at the bell hooks Institute

Loyal Jones Appalachian Center Events

The Doris Ulmann Galleries

Campus Master Calendar (Often includes other campus events open to the general public including things like athletic events, presentations, lectures, community outreach events, and more)

Let Sam Cole know about any events that should be added to this list!